Dramatic improvements have occurred in lighting technologies in response to the continuing demands of society for increased efficiency in utilization of energy . As a result, products have reached the market which create increased illumination with extended life. One of the more recent of these improved technologies which has received wide acceptance is the compact fluorescent lamp. Many businesses have realized significant energy savings simply by retrofitting their existing lighting systems with compact fluorescent lamps and fixtures.
While the energy requirements of fluorescent lamps are only 25 to 35 percent of those of incandescent lamps for comparable levels of illumination, there are undesireable characteristics inherent in their operation, such as, low power factor and excessive heat generation. Conventional compact fluorescent lamps operate within a narrow range of tolerances, in that, a substantial level of applied voltage is required to initiate and sustain operation of the lamp, which, in accordance with Ohm's Law, results in significant levels of current and consequent heat. Since the ability of the lamp to produce suitable illumination is degraded with heat, it is desireable to reduce the current. This presents a dilemma, since voltage, which varies directly with current, cannot be reduced appreciably without interrupting operation of the lamp. The present compact fluorescent lamps are, therefore, heat sensitive, in that, they operate at temperatures which produce acceptable levels of illumination, but as overheating occurs, the level of illumination produced degrades sharply. This problem has become so pervasive that compact fluorescent lamps are now being fitted with metal heat sinks in an effort to radiate heat from the body of the lamp to minimize reduction in the level of lumens produced.